Math 310 Foundations for Higher Math Spring 2023

Timings

• Lecture: 2pm-3pm MWF, Cupples II 230

• Office hours: 3-4pm M in Cupples II 230, 3:30-4:45pm Tu in Cupples I 204B, 9-10am F in Cupples I 207.

Resources

We'll generally follow this freely available book by Prof. Bob Dumas & Prof. John McCarthy.

Assessment

• Homework - roughly every two weeks, uploaded to Gradescope, due at 11:59pm CT on Sundays (30%)

• Self-reflections - roughly every two weeks, uploaded to Gradescope, due at 11:59pm CT on Sundays (10%)

• Attendance - to Friday discussion moments (5%)

• Reading quizzes - weekly on Canvas, graded for completion only (5%)

• Midterm - take-home exam on Thursday March 9th 6am-11:59pm (25%)

• Final - Monday May 8th 3:30-5:30pm (25%)

Dropped scores: I will drop the lowest homework score, allow for one missed self-reflection, allow three absences from discussion moments, and allow two missed reading quizzes. After this point each missed self-reflection will count -2% towards your grade up to -10%, each absence from Friday discussion moments will count -0.5% up to -5%, and each missed reading quiz will count -0.5% up to -5%.

Resurrection final: We will use a resurrection final in this course. This means that we will calculate two grades: G1 = grade calculated as above, and G2 = grade calculated with midterm counting 0% and final exam counting 50%. Your final grade will be max(G1, G2).

Piazza bonus points: Each time you post a (mathematical!) question or answer on Piazza, you will receive 1 bonus point. These count as 1 point towards your overall homework score up to a maximum of 10 points. For example, if you dropped 15 points on homework throughout the semester and asked 5 questions on Piazza, your score for homework would be as if you only dropped 10 points. The deadline for Piazza points is 11:59pm the day before the final.

Makeups: Because of the three features above I don't allow for makeups under any circumstances. These features are intended to be in-built ways of supporting you in the case of unexpected or unfortunate circumstances.

Virtual testing: I will offer a virtual option for exams in circumstances such as quarantine due to sickness or potential exposure to covid-19.

Integrity

• Attempting to cheat in this course is unacceptable and will be strongly penalised. A first offense will be penalised with a zero grade on the relevant piece of assessment. A second offense will be penalised with an immediate fail grade.

• Collaboration is permitted (actually encouraged!) on homework assignments, however each student must write up solutions in their own words. Please write the names of any other students you have collaborated with at the top of each assignment. Significant similarities between submissions from different students that fail to mention any collaboration counts as an act of cheating and will be penalised as such.

Syllabus